June 30, 2025, Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

08/07/2025 02:56:42 PM Page 165 to 168 of 175 42 of 70 sheets 165 THE PUBLIC: My own personal mind, I do know1 based on the testimony --2 THE PUBLIC: Based on the stormwater design3 are you qualified to opine?4 THE PUBLIC: I am not an engineer, no.5 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Council Person Scarpa.6 COUNCIL PERSON SCARPA: I have a comment. I7 would like Mayor Davis, please call me next time it8 rains because I would really like to see.9 THE PUBLIC: I think we might have company.10 You are more than welcome. Thank you.11 Thank you board members.12 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you very much for13 your time. Any other questions -- sir, this is not the14 time for public questions. You can ask him a question15 of his testimony.16 THE PUBLIC: Victor Misarti.17 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Sir.18 THE PUBLIC: I am from West Orange on19 Mayfair Drive.20 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you.21 THE PUBLIC: Sir, I had a question. So22 Mayor, I guess this is a question of the town engineer.23 MR. MacNEILL: Board engineer.24 THE PUBLIC: So the Mayor stated that we25 166 have this flooding every time it rains and it's getting1 worse and the question is like, and so your answer was2 that this application would meet the DEP requirements.3 I just have a question, I think it was stated earlier4 that the applicant got some kind of a waiver that they5 don't have to meet this requirement?6 MR. PLOCKER: Objection.7 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Sir.8 MR. PLOCKER: That's not accurate.9 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Sir, you can't hypothesize10 what happened. The applicant doesn't have a waiver.11 They applied, our expert looked at it and it is12 compliant with DEP regulations.13 THE PUBLIC: Okay. But my question is, it's14 not a statement it's a question. I thought it was an15 older version not the newest version?16 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Whatever DEP approved.17 The township's viewing everything.18 Mr. Afran.19 MR. AFRAN: In fairness to the applicant,20 that is one of the legal issues that's in the Appellate21 Division, whether they should have used the old or the22 new, but our contention --23 MR. PLOCKER: Okay. That's enough.24 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Okay. We're not arguing25 167 that. I'm just saying where we are right now. You guys1 can have at it later on.2 MR. AFRAN: I know it's 10:30, we have two3 other people, there's one person who will be about three4 minutes, if it's the board's pleasure to continue.5 MR. PLOCKER: Let's go.6 MR. AFRAN: We call

on.2 MR. AFRAN: I know it's 10:30, we have two3 other people, there's one person who will be about three4 minutes, if it's the board's pleasure to continue.5 MR. PLOCKER: Let's go.6 MR. AFRAN: We call Marea DePalma.7 MS. McGOVERN: Do you swear or affirm to8 tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth.9 THE PUBLIC: Yes, I do.10 MS. McGOVERN: Please state you name for the11 record and spell your last name.12 THE PUBLIC: Marea DePalma, D-E-P-A-L-M-A.13 MS. McGOVERN: Your address.14 THE PUBLIC: 67 Lapis Circle.15 M A R E A D E P A L M A, having been duly16 sworn testifies as follows:17 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Go right ahead.18 THE PUBLIC: Good evening everyone. I am a19 resident of West Essex Highlands since 1992. Recently20 when the fire broke out I was trapped. My mother called21 me with a medical emergency and I could not get out.22 They wouldn't let me walk out either way. I took a23 photo of the whole thing and from what I recall when I24 first started to try to get out it was at least two, two25 168 and a half hours. I had no one to go to my mom's house,1 she is 93 years old. She's still working full-time but2 she wasn't feeling well and she only lives in West3 Caldwell but she depends on me being so close. So I4 couldn't even go out by foot. They would not let me5 pass the fire which was the entire block. I videoed it6 all. All he told me was, ma'am, get back. There was a7 fire engine on the golf course and the wind was blowing8 that day and you could not even see, it was completely a9 white cloud and I panicked and my mom panicked. Neither10 of her neighbors were home and I was panicked. So I was11 stuck and it's not a good feeling being stuck, not being12 able to get out of where you live, and I couldn't get13 out. And the fire was from one end to the other and I14 know that the tree knocked the wires down and caused the15 brush, but the flames at times from what I saw were at16 least this high. So I was stuck home for two, two and a17 half hours until they cleared for anyone to go out. It18 was blocked off with tape and I was trapped and it was19 not a nice feeling at all. And if anything happened to20 my mom, I don't know how I would have lived with that.21 So that's all I wanted to say about that. I have a22 video of the fire if anybody wants to see it. It's very23 vivid and I commented as I was told what to do, to go24 back and I could not leave.

at.21 So that's all I wanted to say about that. I have a22 video of the fire if anybody wants to see it. It's very23 vivid and I commented as I was told what to do, to go24 back and I could not leave. It was not a good feeling.25